CM Curriculum Pilgrims Progress W6
Bible Lesson: Elijah and the Whirl Wind Elijah in the Whirlwind – Art Attack (one person draws/paints while story told, lots of interaction and fun) People: Have four kids come up to help out with the story, or have all the kids involved, they all take turns drawing different parts of the story. Have a narrator tell the story and direct the kids • Story teller • Artist (could be one of the kids or a group of kids with markers) Props: • Large whiteboard dry erase markers, or paper and crayons on an easel. Method: While the story teller tells the story, the artist frantically tries to illustrate the story. This can be done in two ways depending on the age of and number of the children and the amount of staff. The artist can either be a staff member who frantically tries to illustrate the story, or it can be a group of kids all trying to draw the story together. Ether way is a lot of fun. The fun really comes in the interaction with the storyteller and between the artist. “What is that?” the story teller might say. “Why, it is Elijah the profit of course!” “Why is he choking on a basketball?” If you choose to have a group of kids drawing, the story teller should tell part of the story and then pause for the kids to draw it. The interaction of the artists will provide the fun as they try to figure out how to draw the story together. Audience participation should be encouraged in the pauses. You may want to rotate groups of kids so that every one gets to participate. The kids may have so much fun that they may miss the point of the story. It can be fun to go through it again at mock 5 while pointing to all the ridiculous illustrations to “recap the adventure.” Story: (Scene 1) Once upon a time there lived a goat. (Pause for the artist to draw) Just kidding, there is no goat in this story. This story is about two prophets. An older prophet teacher named Elijah, and a younger prophet named Elisha. (Scene 2) The two prophets where very good friends and did a lot together. One day Elijah and Elisha where walking together when Elijah told his friend “Stay here, God has told me to go to Bethel.” But Elisha insisted on going with him. (Scene 3) When they got to Bethel a group of prophets who lived there told Elisha, “Do you know that the lord is going to take your master from you today?” Elisha said, “Yes, but do not talk about it” Then old Elijah said, “Stay here. The Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord is living, I will not leave you.” So they went together. When they Got to Jericho, the same thing happened as before. A group of profits told Elisha, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” Elisha answered, “Yes, but do not talk about it.” (Scene 4) “Stay here” old Elijah said. “The Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.” But Elisha said, “I will not leave you!.” So they went on, fallowed by fifty prophets. (Scene 5) As the fifty prophets watched, Elijah took off his cloak and hit the water with it. The water divided! And Elijah and Elisha walked across on dry ground! (Scene 6) On the other side of the Jordan, Elijah asked Elisha, “What shall I do for you before I am taken away?” Elisha answered, “Please give me a double share of your spirit.” Elijah said, If you see me as I am being taken away, then you will receive it. But if you do not see me taken away, then you will not receive it.” (Scene 7) As they walked together a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire suddenly came between them. Elijah was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind! Elisha was watching and saw this happen. We cried out, “My father, my father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” We was very sad and tore his clothing into pieces. He never saw Elijah again. (Scene 8) Then Elisha picked up the cloak that Elijah had dropped and struck the Jordan just as Elijah had done. The water parted and he crossed back over. THE POINT: God is there even if you don’t seem Him. No matter how scary it is, God is still beside you if you ask him to be! Alternate Bible Lesson (2 Kings 6:8- Elisha surrounded by Chariots) from The Message by Eugene Peterson 2Kings 6:8 One time when the king of Aram was at war with Israel, after consulting with his officers, he said, “At such and such a place I want an ambush set.” 2Kings 6:9 The Holy Man sent a message to the king of Israel: “Watch out when you’re passing this place, because Aram has set an ambush there.” 2Kings 6:10 So the king of Israel sent word concerning the place of which the Holy Man had warned him. This kind of thing happened all the time. 2Kings 6:11 The king of Aram was furious over all this. He called his officers together and said, “Tell me, who is leaking information to the king of Israel? Who is the spy in our ranks?” 2Kings 6:12 But one of his men said, “No, my master, dear king. It’s not any of us. It’s Elisha the prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel everything you say, even what you whisper in your bedroom.” 2Kings 6:13 The king said, “Go and find out where he is. I’ll send someone and capture him.” The report came back, “He’s in Dothan.” 2Kings 6:14 Then he dispatched horses and chariots, an impressive fighting force. They came by night and surrounded the city. 2Kings 6:15 Early in the morning a servant of the Holy Man got up and went out. Surprise! Horses and chariots surrounding the city! The young man exclaimed, “Oh, master! What shall we do?” 2Kings 6:16 He said, “Don’t worry about it—there are more on our side than on their side.” 2Kings 6:17 Then Elisha prayed, “O GOD, open his eyes and let him see.” The eyes of the young man were opened and he saw. A wonder! The whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha! 2Kings 6:18 When the Arameans attacked, Elisha prayed to GOD, “Strike these people blind!” And GOD struck them blind, just as Elisha said. 2Kings 6:19 Then Elisha called out to them, “Not that way! Not this city! Follow me and I’ll lead you to the man you’re looking for.” And he led them into Samaria. 2Kings 6:20 As they entered the city, Elisha prayed, “O GOD, open their eyes so they can see where they are.” GOD opened their eyes. They looked around—they were trapped in Samaria! THE POINT: God is there even if you don’t seem Him. No matter how scary it is, God is still beside you if you ask him to be! Memory Verse: Valley of the Shadow of Death “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NIV) The great disappearing memory verse. Props • Paper • Highlighter • Tape or sting and clothespins Set up: Put each word of this verse on a sheet of paper. Make the first word “Even” and Last word “me” special by using a highlighter. Also highlight all the words “The”, “for”, and “of.” Tape each word in order to the wall. If you are worried about the wall, you could put them all on a string with clothespins. Procedure: Everybody says the verse aloud together and then the first volunteer makes two words disappear. The highlighted words are “safe” and cannot be removed. Then every one says it again and remembers the missing words. This is repeated until only the “safe” words remain. Feel it out. If they are catching on quick, start making three words disappear. Tip – You can make this more fun by adding dramatic sound effects. Have all the kids “Ooooo” and clap whenever somebody makes a word disappear. “Can he do it? Johnny has been practicing for months. But what words will he make disappear? Staff!! That is a very dangerous word, but then Johnny is an expert…. Everybody drum role (bbbbbbbb) Here he goes. (Oooooo clap clap clap) Incredible. How will we ever remember it. Let’s see if we can do it!” At the end you may want to do the impossible! Make even the safe words disappear. Then have everyone say the verse. Or have somebody “challenge the verse for a small prize” Object Lesson 1: The ping pong invisible challenge Supplies: Straws (one per kid) A ping pong ball A level table 6 dinking cups A bucket or waist paper basket Setup: Place the cups on the table (you may want to use less cups at first to make it easier). They act as cones in for an obstacle course. The bucket is placed where it will catch the ping pong ball as it falls of the edge of the table. This is the finish line. Make sure that the table is as level as possible. Procedure: Start the game by asking the kids if they know of anything that is real, but that they cannot see. Examples: Radio, Cell phone calls, germs, and air. Diagram of Ping Pong Challenge “Did you know that as a Christian, we believe in some things we cannot see? What do you think those things could be?” Examples: God, the Holly Spirit, Miracles…. “That is right. Just because you can’t see something that does not mean that it isn’t there. Today I have a challenge for you! In order to complete the challenge, you must use something you cannot see. You must use the air. You see this table. Your challenge (use your hand to move the ping pong ball) is to make this ping pong ball go between the cups and back through, over the edge and into this bucket.” Rules: Every one gets one straw. You can use only air to move the ball. The ball cannot fall of the table sides or you must start over. Each person must stay on his/her side of the table. (Older kids) The ball cannot touch any of the cones or you must start over. Once the kids have done it once, you may want to make another challenge for them if there is time. Give them a time limit to beat or add the rule about not touching the cones. You could even add a second ball to make things really crazy. Sum up: “Remember that sometimes we must have faith in things we cannot see. What would happen if we did not believe we could use the air? We could not do the challenge. Sometimes God asks us to do things that mean we must believe in things we cannot see. Things like his help in times of trouble.” Option – If you have too many kids, you can make it easier by removing cups and then have two teams take turns. Object Lesson 2 you can add one and write it here if needed Week 6 continued story Back to Pilgrims Progress Home